Repositionable Taxidermy Mount Apparatus

ABSTRACT

The repositionable taxidermy mount apparatus is an invention that allows a user to quickly and easily reposition a taxidermy type mounted animal or animal portion. The apparatus provides for motion about a plurality of axes creating the ability to display a taxidermy mounted animal in a multitude of different positions and orientations. The apparatus further includes an easily interchangeable swivel plate device which allows the user to display different mounted animals at various mount angles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to taxidermy type mounting apparatuses and inparticular, to taxidermy mounting apparatuses that provide for movementor repositioning of the mounted game or fish or like mounted object

2. Description of the Related Art

It is common for hunters, fishermen, and outdoor enthusiasts to desireto display animals or the like that they have taken in the wild. Avariety of taxidermy type mounting apparatuses are further well knownand are in widespread use in displaying such animals. Such mountingapparatuses have often consisted merely of a static display case, astatic display stand, or of a static plaque type mounting apparatus thatmounts substantially flush to a wall.

However, some have sought to improve upon such static type mountingapparatuses. Many users of mount apparatuses have shown a desire to beable to reposition a mounted animal head or animal bust to a variety ofdifferent positions without the need of having to remount the animalhead or animal bust. For instance, the following list of US patents andapplications disclose inventions related to taxidermy mountingapparatuses and/or movable mounting apparatuses and are incorporatedherein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,145,006, 4,225,106, 4,971,865,6,458,434, 6,561,468, 6,828,035, 7,207,535, 7,243,888, and 20070190891.However, the inventive concepts disclosed in the preceding list ofpatents have failed to teach a repositionable taxidermy mount apparatusthat may be repositionable about multiple axes or that may berepositioned beyond movement about a single rotational axis. Such arepositionable taxidermy mount apparatus that overcomes the notedproblems is heretofore unknown and is the subject of this invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been developed in response to the presentstate of the art, and in particular, in response to taxidermy mountapparatuses that were described to be lacking in the art. Accordingly,the present invention is an improved taxidermy mount system or apparatusthat comprises substantially flat base plate having at least one supportcollar, a cantilever type swing arm, and a swivel plate device. The baseplate is fastened to a wall or like structure. A first end of the swingarm is rotatingly positioned in the collar, and the swivel plate deviceis rotatingly positioned on the second end of the swing arm. With theapparatus thus assembled, the swing arm is free to rotate about a firstaxis of the swing arm that is substantially coincident with the centerof the collar and the center of the swing arm first end. The swivelplate device is also free to rotate about an axis that is substantiallycoincident to the center of the swing arm second end and the center ofthe swivel plate device. An animal head or animal bust or like object ispreferably mounted to the swivel plate device. Thus the taxidermy mountapparatus is adapted to reposition such mounted animal head in a greatmany different positions and attitudes without mechanical alteration tothe mount apparatus.

Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, orsimilar language does not imply that all of the features and advantagesthat may necessarily be realized with the present invention should be orare in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, languagereferring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that aspecific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connectionwith an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the presentinvention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similarlanguage, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily,refer to the same embodiment.

Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics ofthe invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or moreembodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that theinvention can be practiced without one or more of the specific featuresor advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additionalfeatures and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments thatmay not be present in all embodiments of the invention.

These features and advantages of the present invention will become morefully apparent from the following description and appended claims, ormay be learned by the practice of the invention as set forthhereinafter.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In order that the advantages of the invention will be readilyunderstood, a more particular description of the invention brieflydescribed above will be rendered by reference to specific embodimentsthat are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that thesedrawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are nottherefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the inventionwill be described and explained with additional specificity and detailthrough the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of the apparatushaving an animal bust shown mounted to the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a reverse isometric view of a first embodiment of theapparatus having an animal bust shown mounted to the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of the apparatus;

FIG. 4 is an exploded isometric view of a first embodiment of theapparatus;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a first embodiment of the apparatus depictingthe rotational movement of the apparatus;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of the apparatus, thesecond embodiment having an inverted swing arm;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a third embodiment of the apparatus, thethird embodiment having a light duty swing arm;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a fourth embodiment of the apparatus, thefourth embodiment having multiple swing arms;

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a fifth embodiment of the apparatus, thefifth embodiment having an angled swivel plate device, and;

FIG. 10 is an exploded isometric view of a swivel plate device and apedestal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature,structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodimentis included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus,appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” andsimilar language throughout this specification may, but do notnecessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics ofthe invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or moreembodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details areincluded to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of theinvention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, thatthe invention can be practiced without one or more of the specificdetails, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. Inother instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are notshown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of theinvention.

The invention is an improved repositionable taxidermy mount apparatusfor display a mounted animal bust in a variety of repositionablepositions. The invention preferably includes at least one swing arm thatprovides for rotational movement about at least two axes. In order tofacilitate the understanding of the present invention in reviewing thedrawings accompanying the specification, a feature list is providedbelow. It is noted that like features are like numbered throughout allof the figures.

FEATURE TABLE # Feature # Feature 20 Mount apparatus 30 Base 32 Baseplate 34 Attach hole 36 Lower blind collar 38 Bore hole 40 Threaded setscrew hole 42 Upper blind collar 44 Bore hole 46 Threaded set screw hole48 Set screw 50 Swing arm device 52 Support arm 53 Support arm first end54 Support arm second end 56 First shaft 58 Rod 60 Second shaft 62 Shaftflange 64 Set screw hole 66 Rod 68 Gusset 70 Gusset lower end 72 Gussetupper end 74 Third shaft 76 Rod 80 Swivel plate device 82 Swivel plate84 Attach hole 86 Blind collar 88 Bore hole 90 Animal bust 92 Pedestal94 Base 96 Rod 120 Mount apparatus 30 Base 32 Base plate 34 Attach hole36 Lower blind collar 38 Bore hole 40 Threaded set screw hole 42 Upperblind collar 44 Bore hole 46 Threaded set screw hole 48 Set screw 150Swing arm device 52 Support arm 53 Support arm first end 54 Support armsecond end 56 First shaft 58 Rod 60 Second shaft 62 Shaft flange 64 Setscrew hole 66 Rod 68 Gusset 70 Gusset lower end 72 Gusset upper end 74Third shaft 76 Rod 80 Swivel plate device 82 Swivel plate 84 Attach hole86 Blind collar 88 Bore hole 90 Animal bust 220 Mount apparatus 230 Base32 Base plate 34 Attach hole 36 Lower blind collar 38 Bore hole 40Threaded set screw hole 48 Set screw 250 Swing arm device 52 Support arm53 Support arm first end 54 Support arm second end 56 First shaft 58 Rod60 Second shaft 62 Shaft flange 64 Set screw hole 66 Rod 80 Swivel platedevice 82 Swivel plate 84 Attach hole 86 Blind collar 88 Bore hole 90Animal bust 320 Mount apparatus 30 Base 32 Base plate 34 Attach hole 36Lower blind collar 38 Bore hole 40 Threaded set screw hole 42 Upperblind collar 44 Bore hole 46 Threaded set screw hole 48 Set screw 250Swing arm device 52 Support arm 53 Support arm first end 54 Support armsecond end 56 First shaft 58 Rod 60 Second shaft 62 Shaft flange 64 Setscrew hole 66 Rod 80 Swivel plate device 82 Swivel plate 84 Attach hole86 Blind collar 88 Bore hole 90 Animal bust 420 Mount apparatus 30 Base32 Base plate 34 Attach hole 36 Lower blind collar 38 Bore hole 40Threaded set screw hole 42 Upper blind collar 44 Bore hole 46 Threadedset screw hole 48 Set screw 50 Swing arm device 52 Support arm 53Support arm first end 54 Support arm second end 56 First shaft 58 Rod 60Second shaft 62 Shaft flange 64 Set screw hole 66 Rod 68 Gusset 70Gusset lower end 72 Gusset upper end 74 Third shaft 76 Rod 480 Swivelplate device 82 Swivel plate 84 Attach hole 86 Blind collar 88 Bore hole90 Animal bust

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4, afirst embodiment of the invention is a repositionable taxidermy mountapparatus 20 for use in displaying a mounted animal bust 90 in a varietyof repositionable configurations comprising a base 30, a swing armdevice 50, a swivel plate device 80, and preferably a plurality of setscrews 48. It shall be noted that a variety of creatures or creatureparts including but not limited to a deer head, a deer bust, an elkhead, an elk bust, an antelope head, an antelope bust, a moose head, amoose bust, a bear head, a bear bust, a bison head, a bison bust, abird, a bird head, a bird bust, a fish, and a fish head may be mountedto apparatus 20, and that all such creatures or creature parts shallfall within the meaning of the term “taxidermy mount object”.

Base 30 comprises a substantially flat rigid steel base plate 32 weldedto a lower blind steel collar 36 and to an upper blind steel collar 42.Plate 32 further includes a plurality of attach holes 34. Plate 32 mayoptionally include decorative cutouts formed in plate 32. For instance,plate 32 may define an outdoor type scenery cutout depicting trees,animals, and other images relating to hunting. Lower blind collar 36includes a bore hole 38, and preferably a threaded set screw hole 40.Upper blind collar 42 includes a bore hole 44, and preferably a threadedset screw hole 46.

Swing arm device 50 comprises a support arm 52, a first shaft 56, asecond shaft 60, a gusset 68, and a third shaft 74. Support arm 52defines generally rectangular elongated rigid steel arm having a firstend 53, and a second end 54. First shaft 56 defines a generally rigidcylindrical steel shaft having a rigid cylindrical steel rod 58protruding downwardly from shaft 56. Shaft 56 defines an outer diameterand rod 58 defines an outer diameter, with the outer diameter of shaft56 being larger than the outer diameter of rod 58. Second shaft 60defines a generally rigid cylindrical steel shaft having a rigidcylindrical steel rod 66 protruding upwardly from shaft 60 and having asubstantially thin cylindrical steel flange 62 affixed between shaft 60and rod 66 and extending radially outward therefrom. Shaft 60 defines anouter diameter, rod 66 defines an outer diameter, and flange 62 definesan outer diameter, with the outer diameter of shaft 60 being larger thanthe outer diameter of rod 66, and with the outer diameter of flange 62being larger than the outer diameter of shaft 60. Flange 62 furtherpreferably includes threaded set screw hole 64 formed in flange 62.Gusset 68 defines generally flat triangular rigid steel gusset having alower end 70, and an upper end 72. Third shaft 74 defines a generallyrigid cylindrical steel shaft having a rigid cylindrical steel rod 76protruding downwardly from shaft 74. Shaft 74 defines an outer diameterand rod 76 defines an outer diameter, with the outer diameter of shaft74 being larger than the outer diameter of rod 76. Support arm first end53 is welded to first shaft 56, and support arm second end 54 is weldedto second shaft 60. Gusset lower end is welded to an upper surface ofsupport arm 52, and gusset upper end is welded to shaft 74. Swing armdevice 50, having a gusset 68 and a third shaft 74, is considered aheavy duty swing arm device.

Swivel plate device 80 comprises a substantially flat rigid steel swivelplate 82 welded to an elongated blind steel collar 86 such that plate 82is positioned substantially parallel to collar 86. Plate 82 furtherincludes a plurality of attach holes 84. Elongated blind collar 86includes an elongated bore hole 88.

Set screw 48 defines a mechanical type set screw as is common to thefastening industry. Specifically, set screw 48 preferably defines acylindrical screw having outer threads and a point on a first end and aslot on a second end. Pedestal 92 defines a conventional pedestal havinga base 94 and a rod 96.

Repositionable taxidermy mount apparatus 20 is assembled such that base30 is mounted to a wall or like structure by installing screws or likefasteners through attach holes 34 and into a wall, swing arm device 50is rotatingly connected to base 30 by inserting rods 58 and 76 into boreholes 38 and 44 respectively, and swivel plate device 80 is rotatinglyconnected to swing arm device 50 by inserting rod 66 into bore hole 88.With apparatus 20 thus assembled, swivel plate 82 is repositionable to amultitude of different positions by virtue of swing arm device 50 beingrotatable with respect to base 30 in combination with swivel platedevice 80 being rotatable with respect to swing arm device 50. Suchcompound movement or movement along or about more than one axis for thepurposes of this application shall be considered “complex movement” andshall define over “simple movement” which for the purposes of thisapplication shall be considered that movement which is limited tomovement along or about a single axis. To temporarily secure swivelplate 82 from movement, set screws 48 may be threadingly inserted intothreaded set screw holes 40 and 46 such that rotation of swing armdevice 50 with respect to base 30 is temporarily prevented and setscrews 48 may be threadingly inserted into threaded set screw hole 64such that such that rotation of swivel plate device 80 with respect toswing arm device 50 is temporarily prevented.

In practice, before apparatus 20 is assembled, swivel plate device 80 ispreferably assembled into animal bust 90 by casting device 80 within afoam or like animal bust substrate material during the taxidermyconstruction process of animal bust 90. In such construction process,the only portion of swivel plate device 80 that remains exposed is borehole 88. Alternatively, swivel plate device 80 may be retroactivelyattached to a pre-existing animal bust 90 by inserting screws or likefasteners through attach holes 84 and animal bust 90. When apparatus 20is assembled as described and includes animal bust 90 attached to plate82, animal bust 90 is repositionable to a multitude of differentpositions. Thus for instance animal bust 90 could be positioned near awall or far from a wall. Further, animal bust 90 could be positionedsuch that animal bust 90 appears to be looking towards a viewer at apredetermined viewing location or alternatively animal bust 90 could bepositioned such that animal bust 90 appears to be looking away from aviewer at a predetermined viewing location.

It is noted that swivel plate device 80 is simply and easily removedfrom swing arm device 50 and may readily placed on a pedestal such aspedestal 92 by placing bore hole 88 over rod 96. Furthermore, swivelplate device 80 having animal bust attached thereto, may be simply andeasily replaced with a second instance of swivel plate device 80 havinga second instance of animal bust 90 attached thereto. Thus using thedescribed method, if a user tires of displaying for instance a deerbust, the user may easily replace the deer bust with an antelope bust.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 6, a secondembodiment of the invention is repositionable taxidermy mount apparatus120. Apparatus 120 is substantially identical to apparatus 20 andincludes all of the parts and features of apparatus 20 except that inapparatus 120, swing arm device 50 is replaced with swing arm device150. Swing arm device 150 is substantially identical to swing arm device50 except that in swing arm device 150, gusset 68 and correspondinglythird shaft 74 are welded to a lower surface of support arm 52.Accordingly, in apparatus 120, swivel plate device 80 is positionedhigher with respect to base 30 than is swivel plate device 80 withrespect to base 30 in apparatus 20.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 7, a thirdembodiment of the invention is repositionable taxidermy mount apparatus220. Apparatus 220 is substantially identical to apparatus 20 andincludes all of the parts and features of apparatus 20 except that inapparatus 220, base 30 is replaced with base 230 and swing arm device 50is replaced with swing arm device 250. Base 230 is substantiallyidentical to base 30 except that base 230 does not include upper blindcollar 42. Swing arm device 250 is substantially identical to swing armdevice 50 except that swing arm device 250 does not include gusset 68 orthird shaft 74. Swing arm device 250, not having a gusset 68 and a thirdshaft 74, is considered a light duty swing arm device.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 8, a fourthembodiment of the invention is repositionable taxidermy mount apparatus320. Apparatus 320 is substantially identical to apparatus 20 andincludes all of the parts and features of apparatus 20 except that inapparatus 320, single swing arm device 50 is replaced with two instancesof swing arm device 250. Accordingly, in apparatus 320, two instances ofanimal bust 90 may be displayed and repositioned simultaneously.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 9, a fifthembodiment of the invention is repositionable taxidermy mount apparatus420. Apparatus 420 is substantially identical to apparatus 20 andincludes all of the parts and features of apparatus 20 except that inapparatus 420, swivel plate device 80 is replaced with swivel platedevice 480. Swivel plate device 480 is substantially identical to swivelplate device 80 except that in swivel plate device 480, swivel plate 82is welded to collar 86 such that plate 82 is positioned in asubstantially angled or non-parallel attitude with respect to collar 86.Accordingly, in apparatus 420, animal bust 90 may be display at an anglethat is different from the display angle of apparatus 20. Furthermore,it is noted that in apparatus 20, a variety of swivel plate deviceshaving a variety of swivel plate display angles may be substituted forswivel plate device 80.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or essential characteristics. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicatedby the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. Allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are to be embraced within their scope.

1. A repositionable apparatus for displaying a taxidermy mount object,said apparatus comprising: a base defining a substantially flat platehaving at least one collar connected to said plate; a support arm havinga first end and a second end, said first end being connected to at leastone first shaft having a rod extending therefrom, and said second endbeing connected to a second shaft having a rod extending therefrom; aswivel device defining a substantially flat plate having a collarconnected to said plate, and; a taxidermy mount object; wherein said rodof said at least one first shaft is rotatably positioned in said atleast one base collar, and wherein said swivel device collar isrotatably positioned on said rod of said second shaft, and wherein saidtaxidermy mount object is mounted to said swivel device such that saidsupport arm is rotatable about said support arm first end and saidswivel device is rotatable about said support arm second end.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein a select apparatus position is temporarilyfixed.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said base collar includes athreaded set screw hole, and wherein said support arm second shaftincludes a flange having a threaded set screw hole, and wherein saidapparatus includes a plurality of threaded set screws, and wherein whena set screw is threadingly inserted into said base collar set screw holeand wherein when a set screw is threadingly inserted into said supportarm flange set screw hole, said select apparatus position is temporarilyfixed.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base collar defines ablind collar having a bore hole opening at an upper end of said collar,and wherein said rod of said first shaft extends downwardly from saidfirst shaft, and wherein said rod of said second shaft extends upwardlyfrom said second shaft, and wherein said swivel device collar defines ablind collar having a bore hole opening at a lower end of said collar.5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base includes a plurality ofcollars, and wherein said support arm includes a plurality of firstshafts.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said support arm includes agusset having a first end and a second end, said gusset first end beingconnected to said support arm and said second gusset end being connectedto a second instance of a first shaft.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein said base includes a plurality of collars, and wherein saidapparatus includes a plurality of support arms.
 8. The apparatus ofclaim 7, wherein each of said support arms includes a swivel devicerotatably positioned thereon, and wherein each of said swivel devicesincludes a taxidermy mount object attached thereto.
 9. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein said swivel device defines a first swivel device, andwherein said first swivel device is readily substitutable with a secondswivel device.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said plate of saidfirst swivel device is affixed to said collar of said first swiveldevice such that said first swivel device plate is substantiallyparallel to said first swivel device collar, and wherein said plate ofsaid second swivel device is affixed to said collar of said secondswivel device such that said second swivel device plate is substantiallynon-parallel to said second swivel device collar.
 11. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein said swivel device is readily repositionable onto apedestal stand.
 12. A repositionable apparatus for displaying ataxidermy mount object, said apparatus comprising: a base defining asubstantially flat plate having at least one collar connected to saidplate, said collar having an open bore hole; a support arm having afirst end and a second end, said first end being connected to at leastone first shaft having a rod extending downwardly therefrom, and saidsecond end being connected to a second shaft having a rod extendingupwardly therefrom; a swivel device defining a substantially flat platehaving a collar connected to said plate, said collar having an open borehole, and; a taxidermy mount object; wherein said rod of said at leastone first shaft is rotatably positioned in said at least one basecollar, and wherein swivel device collar is rotatably positioned on saidrod of said second shaft such that said support arm is rotatable aboutsaid support arm first end and said swivel device is rotatable aboutsaid support arm second end, and wherein said taxidermy mount object ismounted to said swivel device.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein aselect apparatus position is temporarily fixed.
 14. The apparatus ofclaim 13, wherein said base collar includes a threaded set screw hole,and wherein said support arm second shaft includes a flange having athreaded set screw hole, and wherein said apparatus includes a pluralityof threaded set screws, and wherein when a set screw is threadinglyinserted into said base collar set screw hole and wherein when a setscrew is threadingly inserted into said support arm flange set screwhole, said select apparatus position is temporarily fixed.
 15. Theapparatus of claim 12, wherein said base includes a plurality ofcollars, and wherein said support arm includes a plurality of firstshafts.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said support arm includesa gusset having a first end and a second end, said gusset first endbeing connected to said support arm and said second gusset end beingconnected to a second instance of a first shaft.
 17. The apparatus ofclaim 12, wherein said base includes a plurality of collars, and whereinsaid apparatus includes a plurality of support arms.
 18. The apparatusof claim 17, wherein each of said support arms includes a swivel devicerotatably positioned thereon, and wherein each of said swivel devicesincludes a taxidermy mount object attached thereto.
 19. The apparatus ofclaim 12, wherein said swivel device defines a first swivel device, andwherein said first swivel device is readily substitutable with a secondswivel device.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said plate of saidfirst swivel device is affixed to said collar of said first swiveldevice such that said first swivel device plate is substantiallyparallel to said first swivel device collar, and wherein said plate ofsaid second swivel device is affixed to said collar of said secondswivel device such that said second swivel device plate is substantiallynon-parallel to said second swivel device collar.
 21. The apparatus ofclaim 12, wherein said swivel device is readily repositionable onto apedestal stand.
 22. An apparatus for displaying a taxidermy mountobject, said apparatus comprising a support arm having a first end and asecond end, said support arm first end being connected to a base, andsaid support arm second end being connected to a taxidermy mount object,wherein said taxidermy mount object is repositionable with respect tosaid base from a first display position to a second display position bymeans of a complex movement of said taxidermy mount object.
 23. Theapparatus of claim 22, wherein a select apparatus position istemporarily fixed.
 24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said apparatusincludes at least one threaded set screw, and wherein when said setscrew is threadingly inserted into said apparatus, said select apparatusposition is temporarily fixed.
 25. The apparatus of claim 22, whereinsaid apparatus includes a plurality of support arms.
 26. The apparatusof claim 25, wherein each of said support arms includes a taxidermymount object attached thereto.